Sexes
and Red X, a male and female mutant, respectively.]] Most, if not all, beings in the universe belonged to one of two sexes, or genders (namely male or female), which determined sexual and physiological traits. Sometimes certain terms were used to denote non-binary individuals, but such as with Tori Newell, this was not always the case. Robot gender programming Robots, especially those with complex personalities and those which worked in close partnerships with organic beings, such as astrobots, were often programmed to have stereotypically masculine or feminine personalities. Thus, even mechanical beings were usually designated he or she. Biological significance Traditionally, members of the male sex acted as a father figure, who provided, cared for, and defended their partner from other males or predators. Sentient and non-sentient species both had male and female sexes, with many biological and childbearing similarities exhibited between the two. Humans generally reproduced by the coupling of a male and female, from which the female would give birth to male or female children. A female could have multiple children over their lifetime, or give birth to several at once. Likewise, complications during pregnancy could be disastrous for the mother involved, resulting in permanent disability or death. The children inherited the genetic traits of both their parents, and could also inherit mutantry. In most traditional societies, the female sex acted as the caregiver for the child, and took care of the male in his efforts to protect the family. As such, the female would be responsible for providing early education and teaching the child the ways of the world. In developed societies, children could be given to the care of nannies or other supervisors if their parents were unable to spend enough time with their child. Cultural significance Most societies held certain cultural expectations over the definition of what it meant to be a 'man' and a 'woman.' Typically, such ideas revolved around the idea that men were stronger than women, or at least more capable in the art of warfare, and executing political and intellectual power within the world. As such, women were generally expected to be submissive, subservient, and loyal. Fred Irma, chief informational officer of the OIP affectionately called women 'dolls,' and treated them as sexual objects. Likewise, officer Caden chastised Jean Richardson for wishing to rescue survivors of the government facilities following the First NoHead Base's destruction. Within the NoHead Empire, pro-male human ethnocentrism and xenophobia dominated its policies. Despite this, some individuals, such as Lily Clark, Annabeth Black, and Zira Miranda Grover rose to positions of considerable power and influence within their respective societies, despite being born female. While most individuals exhibited male to female attraction, there also existed a large minority of the international population that sexually identified as preferring male-to-male or female-to-female relationships, or both. Some places, such as the educational facility Superhero School or the planet Eeidaria, were sexually liberal enough for such individuals to make public displays of affection, however most felt awkward, strange, and embarrassed on admitting such facts publicly. Others viewed sexual encounters as non-binding, participating in encounters "just for fun." Many in the world considered such lifestyles "awkward" and "strange," and looked down upon those that practiced it. Despite this, several such individuals existed within the annals of high society, such as Ramona Meyer. These people were generally referred to as homosexuals, or informally, gays. Appearances Sexes appear in every single The Super Babies work. They are also referred to in virtually every Super Babies novel and many short stories, since describing sexes is describing people in general. Notes and references Category:Procreation Category:Society and culture